2016 Softball Manual

1 2016 . Softball Manual For Coaches & Officials OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. 4080 Roselea Place Columbus, OH 43214. (614) 267-2502 (614) 267-1677 (fax). Table of Contents PAGE. OHSAA Mission Statement 5. Mandatory Rules Meetings 5. 2016 Rules Interpretation Meetings-Note: On- line Meetings Only (Coaches) 6. 2016 Season Important Dates 7. OHSAA Contact Information 8. Coaches 8. Ohio High School Fast Pitch Softball Coaches Association (OHSFSCA) 8. Coaches Code of Ethics 9. Game Procedures 11. Ejection Report Form Procedures 11. Medical & Safety 11. Concussion Information 11. Weather Information 17. Officials 18. Officiating Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct 18. Pre-Season Preparations 19. Address Changes 19. Uniform Requirements 19.

2 OHSAA Local Officials Associations 19. Coaches/Officiating Rating Instructions 20. Regulations 20. OHSAA Softball Regulations 2015-16 20. OHSAA General Sports Regulations 2015-16 24. Tournament Regulations 24. Rules Information 24. Rule Changes 2016 24. Major Editorial Revisions 2016 24. Points of Emphasis 2016 25. OHSAA State Association Adoptions 25. OHSAA Points of Emphasis 27. OHSAA Instructional Program Regulations 27. Game Ending Procedures 28. Non-Interscholastic Rule-Coaches/Students 29. NFHS Slides 31. Sportsmanship 50. Online Resources 52. Troubleshooting Tips for Viewing Online Rules Meeting 52. Concussion Report 54. Materials Mailed Separately- Some materials mailed to Officials Associations Only COACHES OFFICIALS.

3 No materials mailed for 2016 Season except Memo 2016 NFHS Softball Rule Book to Coaches. NFHS Rule Books will be mailed every 2016 NFHS Softball Case Book other school year. No books mailed for 2016 . 2016 /2017 Umpires Manual Season 2016 Preseason Guide 1. TO: Softball Coaches and Officials FROM: Roxanne Price, Assistant Commissioner RE: OHSAA Softball Regulations and Related Materials This Softball Manual is intended as a guide to assist with the coaching, officiating, and administration of interscholastic Softball . Included in this Manual are the sports regulations for Softball as adopted by the OHSAA. Board of Directors, and the NFHS Rule Changes and Points of Emphasis. Also, officials you will find information on the face to face rules interpretation meetings scheduled for the 2016 season.

4 Information regarding the OHSAA. bylaws and student eligibility is disseminated to Athletic Administrators. The 2016 Coaches and Officials Manual includes information regarding OHSAA Points of Emphasis, such as Game Ending Procedures (continuous emphasis), as well as information on the Instructional Program Regulations for coaches. The Manual also includes information about non-interscholastic participation and what is permissible by players and coaches and what is non-permissible. Please note that OHSAA Game Ending Procedures may vary from NFHS Rules. It is mandatory that each school that sponsors interscholastic Softball have a coach (head or assistant) or an athletic administrator view the online rules interpretation meeting.

5 It is preferred that the Head Coach view the online meeting. Any coach may review the meeting and it is suggested that every school coach do so. For the 2016 Softball season, all the rules meetings for coaches will continue to be conducted on- line . More information regarding on- line meetings can be found in this Manual . Attendance/viewing is required by at least one coach/school administrator in order to be eligible to enter the OHSAA-sponsored tournament. The link for the on- line meeting will be on the Softball home page and the official's page by 4:00 on February 2, 2016 . The deadline, without penalty, will be March 1, 2016 at 11:59 pm. Officials have the option to attend a face-to-face meeting or to receive credit for their OHSAA meeting by viewing an online presentation.

6 Please bring the attendance card mailed to you earlier to the rules interpretation meeting that you attend face to face. If you do not have the attendance card, you may complete an official's attendance card at the meeting. You will find the link to the on- line meeting on the Officials page of the OHSAA website. The on- line meeting will be available on February 2, 2016 through March 16 at 11:59 pm. The NFHS Softball Rules and the OHSAA Softball Regulations will serve as the official rules of Softball . The OHSAA. may have modified some NFHS rules so that they are in alignment with OHSAA sports regulations. The NFHS. Softball Rules Book in the past has been provided to each member school sponsoring Softball and each OHSAA.

7 Licensed official as a courtesy by the OHSAA. Softball head coaches will receive a NFHS Softball Rules Book every other year. No NFHS Softball Rules Book will be mailed to member school coaches this school year. Each OHSAA. Softball official will receive a case book as well as the NFHS Softball Rules Book. Additional materials have been mailed to the Officials Associations to assist with classes, compliments of the OHSAA. As a head coach you received an earlier memo from me because your school has indicated that it sanctions Softball as an interscholastic sport. Your school may have also indicated that it will enter the state Softball tournament. If your school has indicated that it will participate in the state tournament and does not enter a team in the state tournament, there will be a penalty of $150 assessed if the OHSAA does not receive correspondence through MyOHSAA by April 25, 2016 that your school will not enter a Softball team in the postseason tournament.

8 Again, these materials have been provided to assist you with your coaching and/or officiating responsibilities. Take the time to review the materials. If you have any questions, or if I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at (614) 267-2502 or email me at Email correspondence is preferred. If you have questions in regard to playing rules, such as courtesy runners, dead ball situations, and substitution rules, please contact Jerry Fick, Director of Officials Development at or George Gulas at 2. Dear OHSAA Softball Umpire: First, let me thank all of you for your commitment and dedication to OHSAA Softball . Your efforts are much appreciated by all of us at the association. We wish you a great season in 2016 .

9 To further increase consistency we will continue our enhanced training opportunities for umpires. We will again offer our online state meeting. The state meeting will be available both online and in person. There will be eight in person meetings. Each meeting will feature sessions of about two and a half hours and, in addition to the state meeting, will review the most important items that we want to cover prior to the 2016 season. By attending the entire session you will receive credit for a local meeting in addition to the state Softball meeting. The schedule is listed below with all meetings starting at 6PM: Tuesday, February 2 Columbus OHSAA Office 4080 Roselea Place Thursday, February 4 Zanesville High School 1701 Blue Ave.

10 Tuesday, February 9 Canton McKinley High School 2323 17th St. NW. Thursday, February 11 Findlay Glenwood Middle School 1715 N. Main St. Tuesday, February 16 Piqua Upper Valley Career Center 8811 Career Dr. Thursday, February 18 Garfield Heights High School 4900 Turney Rd. Tuesday, February 23 Monroe High School - 220 Yankee Rd. Thursday, February 25 Jackson High School (Jackson) 500 Vaughn St. The online meeting for Softball will be available February 2 at 4:00 pm. To find the link to the meeting, you must navigate the OFFICALS HOME PAGE from the officiating page at You may also access the online meeting and listing of in person meetings from your myOHSAA account. The last day in which an online rules meeting may be viewed without penalty for officials is March 16.